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Flight Review: Nuisance Or Opportunity?

Most pilots who fly single-engine piston airplanes in non-commercial operations do not undertake formal training at annual or other intervals. Instead, they are only required to complete a flight review from a certified flight instructor (CFI) every other year to fly as pilot-in-command. For most pilots, this is an exercise to be completed with as little effort as possible. Some pilots resent the requirement while a few even dread it. This doesnt have to be the case, however.

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Key Takeaways:

  • The biennial flight review for general aviation pilots often serves as a minimum compliance exercise, frequently failing to address individual pilot needs or root causes of accidents effectively.
  • Experts advocate for a "risk-based" flight review approach, which tailors the review to a pilot's typical operational flights and emphasizes practical risk identification, assessment, and mitigation.
  • Finding Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) trained to conduct effective, risk-based reviews is a challenge, but pilots are encouraged to seek them out and can supplement formal reviews with structured "do-it-yourself" self-assessments in off-years.
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Most pilots who fly single-engine piston airplanes in non-commercial operations do not undertake formal training at annual or other intervals. Instead, they are only required to complete a flight review from a certified flight instructor (CFI) every other year to fly as pilot-in-command. For most pilots, this is an exercise to be completed with as little effort as possible. Some pilots resent the requirement while a few even dread it. This doesn’t have to be the case, however.

While it might take a little effort to find a CFI who has the flick regarding what comprises a good flight review, the end result and the value you receive might be worth it. If you want to go further and try something different in the off year, a do-it-yourself event might be an equally good approach.

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